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CPD. Keynotes. Books. Heart.

Inspiring educators since 1994 - online, in print and in real life.

If it's your job to find the very best speakers for an INSET day, a conference, an online CPD programme or even a student or parent workshop, then get in touch for a free chat.

We help you save time and money putting together an unforgettable event - and make you look good in the process.

With authentic, creative and compassionate ideas for teaching and learning, leadership and well-being, we've been inspiring educators in schools and colleges across the world for 30 years.

We make that around 10,000 events reaching 500,000 educators touching the lives of around 500,000,000 children and young people.

Always with our satisfaction guarantee.

Always with children and young people at the heart of things.

Always remembering there is another way.

How can we help you?

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Independent Thinking is a unique organisation bringing together some of the UK's leading educators, speakers and authors.

We pride ourselves on speakers who are knowledgable, engaging, flexible and grounded in the reality of school life - from classroom practice to leadership and everything in between.

What unites us is our passion for compassionate and creative education with children and young people at its heart.

Established in 1994, Independent Thinking has spent three decades quietly supporting thousands of teachers, school leaders, students, parents and governors throughout the UK and beyond.

Always with the message that there is another way.

Nice things our clients are saying about us

"Extraordinary!"

"What a Conference! Our aims and ambitions were not only met but were surpassed. So much learning, support, inspiration, laughter and even tears. Thank you!"

"Each one brought something unique and special to our event but equally each one joined the dots beautifully"

"I also wanted to thank you so much for facilitating this project. You made it super easy for me"

"I wanted to take some time to express what a brilliant experience last week's conference was and how thankful I am that you were able to coordinate the talented speakers that joined us"

"Can I say a big thank you for your session today. You have motivated the staff and made them really think about where we are at the moment and where we want to go next"

"Brilliant, funny, thought provoking – so helpful at this stage of my headship in terms of getting to what really matters"

"Just wanted to say a huge thank you. So inspiring! Been on many CPD courses over many, many years and usually disengage mid-way but definitely not the case this morning. I'm all fired up to brace new challenges next academic year!"

"Really enjoy working with Independent Thinking to support our conferences - you make my job much less stressful!"

"We feel very complimented that you provided speakers of such quality"

"Superb presentation – great ideas for approaches to school improvement and what really matters"

"I just wanted to say ‘thank you so much’ for your thought provoking, and enlightening discussion yesterday. It was incredibly motivational"

"Inspiring, amazing, funny, breath of fresh air!"

"Thank you so much for today, it has definitely sparked a lot of discussion and new ways of working. I am really excited about everything you and your company do"

"Mind blowing!"

"Staff are saying things like 'Best speaker I have listened to' and 'So real'. It will be amazing to see the difference in opportunity for our school"

Thank you so much for your brilliantly original and so relevant session yesterday at our Conference. The feedback has been terrific. It is a real pleasure working with you

A Message From Our Founder

"I set up Independent Thinking in 1994 to make a difference to young people in schools.

The grand vision then was 'To change children's lives by changing the way they think. And so to change the world'.

It has been such a pleasure to work with so many great educators over the last three decades, all united in the knowledge that there is always another way.

I still believe that creativity is at the heart of it all, that education is too important to be taken seriously and that the best sort of education can change the world for the better.

But you know that.

Thank you for letting us be part of that ambition with you."

IJG

Your Satisfaction Guarantee

Ever since we began we have made it clear that if a client is not happy with the outcome, they don't pay.

Simple as.

 

Why Choose Independent Thinking?

More than a speaker's bureau or a training company, there is a family feel to Independent Thinking. Our Associates are proud to have become colleagues and friends belonging to something special - a mission-led organisation that for three decades has prioritised making a difference.

From the moment you make contact and we get back to you 'reassuringly quickly', you can be assured we will do all we can to help you plan an event that will be entertaining, inspiring, useful and memorable - guaranteed!

Choose One. Or Pick 'n' Mix.

Ian Gilbert • Mark Anderson • Nathan Arnold • Lisa Jane Ashes • Phil Beadle • Jackie Beere • Tim Benton • Andrew Bernard • David Cameron • Mark Creasy • Simon Cooper-Hind • Dr Andrew Curran • Stephanie Davies • Mark Finnis • Claire Gadsby •  Rhia Gibbs • Vic Goddard • Dave Harris • Crista Hazell • David Hodgson • Haili Hughes • Martin Illingworth • Nina Jackson • Dave Keeling • Alison Kriel  • Jonathan Lear • Roy Leighton • Claire Lomas • Mikey Markham • Dr Matthew McFall • Julie Rees • Jim Roberson • Hywel Roberts •  Juliet Robertson •  Will Ryan • Ruth Swailes • Ian Taylor • Ian Timbrell • Andy Vass • Dave Whitaker • Floyd Woodrow

Speakers Who Stay With You

As our many, many clients testify, there is something special about hearing from an Independent Thinking Associate.

Entertaining, honest, inspiring and challenging yet always practical and down to earth, our Associates are very much 'speakers who stay with you' long after the event has ended.

Topics. Not buzzwords.

Adaptive teaching • Additional Learning Needs • Aspirations • Assessment • Behaviour • Challenge • Citizenship • Classroom Design • Classroom Management • Coaching • Cognition • Complexity • Conversation and Communication • Creativity • Curiosity • Curriculum Design • Digital technologies • Differentiation • Diversity • Early Years • Employability • Engagement • Entrepreneurship • Environment • Equality • Governance • Humour • Inclusion • Improving Standards • Independent Learning • Kindness • Leadership • Learning • Learning Technologies • Lesson Planning • Literacy • Managing Stress • Managing Workload • Memory • Motivation • Neurodiversity • Neuroscience • Numeracy • Outdoor Learning • Pedagogy • Questioning • Rapport • Relationships • Relational Practice •  Resilience • Restorative Practice • School Improvement • SEND • Service Learning • Storytelling • Teaching and Learning • Teaching in Challenging Circumstances • Team Building • Thinking Skills • Thunks • Values-based Education • Well-being • Wonder

What We Do

  • Conference keynotes
  • Conference workshops
  • Full- and half-day INSET
  • Twilights
  • Live webinars
  • Prerecorded sessions
  • Books and resources
  • Consultancy

Our Voice in Print

Through our award-winning Independent Thinking Press, we changed the face of education publishing in the UK.

From important titles like The Working Class and Square Pegs to the Independent thinking On... series of paperbacks and best sellers like When the Adults Change and Messy Maths, these entertaining, inspiring and practical books are genuinely 'our voice in print'.

Who We Love to Work With

  • Teachers
  • Leaders
  • Middle Leaders
  • Students and children
  • Parents
  • Governors
  • Teaching Assistant
  • SENDCOs/ALNCOs
  • EYFS - Primary - Secondary - FE - HE
  • Special schools - Alternative Provision - SEMH settings - Virtual Schools
  • State schools - Independent Schools - International schools

Our unique CPD Jukebox

We asked our Associates a whole series of topical questions including:

"As a secondary teacher, what can I learn from Early Years practice?"

"How can I best support a child with ADHD in my classroom?"

"As a school leader, what can I do to make my school more inclusive?"

'A child has just sworn at me, what should I do next?"

Sign up to our newsletter to be the first to know about events, offers, books and more.

 

You'll also receive our monthly Second Thoughts newsletter, full of interesting stories, research, insights and videos you might otherwise have missed.

We'll even send you a free copy of our controversial 25-point Alternative Good School Checklist as a thank you.

See you on the other side.

CPD. Conferences. Webinars. Heart.

Inspiring educators since 1994 - online, in print and in real life.

Enjoy a free consultation. Make a booking.
Haggle a bit. All acceptable.

Give us a call on +44 (0)1267 211432 or drop us a line at learn@independentthinking.co.uk.

We promise to get back to you reassuringly quickly. 

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